SAN DIEGO: 2017 71-91, fourth place
MANAGER Andy Green (third season)
ADDITIONS: 1B Eric Hosmer, 3B Chase Headley, SS Freddy Galvis, RHP Tyson Ross, RHP Bryan Mitchell, RHP Kazuhisa Makita
SUBTRACTIONS: RHP Jhoulys Chacin, INF Yangervis Solarte, LHP Travis Wood, SS Erick Aybar, SS Jose Rondon
OUTLOOK: The Padres should be more fun to watch this season with the additions of Hosmer and Galvis, but they're still not expected to contend for another year or two. There are some other interesting players on the team, including Pirela, who can play left field or second base, and Christian Villanueva, a versatile infielder who has pop in his bat. Myers moves back to the outfield to make room for Hosmer at first base, and Renfroe is expected to platoon with Pirela in left. Renfroe set a Padres rookie record with 26 home runs last year despite being sent down to Class AAA for a month.

WASHINGTON: 2017 97-65, first place, lost to Cubs in NLDS
MANAGER Dave Martinez (first season)
ADDITIONS: 1B-OF Matt Adams, C Miguel Montero, RHP Jeremy Hellickson, RHP Joaquin Benoit, INF Matt Reynolds
SUBTRACTIONS: Manager Dusty Baker, LF Jayson Werth, 1B-LF Adam Lind, C Jose Lobaton, RHP Matt Albers
OUTLOOK: This might be the end of an era at Nationals Park, with Harper eligible to leave as a free agent after the season and General Manager Mike Rizzo's contract set to expire, too. The team has won four NL East titles in the past six years but has zero playoff series victories to show for it. That's why yet another manager (Baker) lost his job, and yet another rookie skipper has been brought in (will Martinez have more success than Matt Williams?). Rizzo has made no secret of the need to start making postseason inroads -- a World Series is the stated goal, and that's certainly not an outrageous aim, given all the talent he's assembled. The lineup remains almost exactly the same, although Werth is gone after playing out his seven-year contract. The rotation and bullpen are also nearly identical to the way they looked at the end of 2017.

PREVIEW

Nationals seek series sweep of Padres

WASHINGTON -- After winning in a rout and then a walk-off, the Washington Nationals will go for the series sweep when they host the San Diego Padres Wednesday afternoon.

The Nationals (26-21) used four home runs to pound the Padres 10-2 in the series opener, but Tuesday night's 2-1 win required a walk-off double from struggling center fielder Michael A. Taylor in the bottom of the ninth.

Taylor's hit scored rookie Juan Soto, who drew his third walk of the game leading off the ninth and advanced to second on a ground out. It was a big hit for Washington and for Taylor, who is hitting .190 on the season.

"Like a weight was being lifted off," Taylor told MLB.com after winning an eight-pitch battle with San Diego reliever Matt Strahm. "It's been a rough stretch for me. I took a deep breath. I've been waiting to have something turn for me."

Taylor also threw out the potential go-ahead run at the plate with a perfect throw in the sixth to nab Jose Pirela.

"I'm just looking to do anything I can -- at the plate, on the bases -- to do something positive for the team," he told MASN.com. "It doesn't raise my average or anything like that, but it definitely feels good."

Bryce Harper hit his NL-leading 15th home run for the Nationals, who are three games behind Atlanta in the NL East.

Washington's Jeremy Hellickson allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings. He has now allowed two earned runs or fewer in six of his seven starts.

Nationals starting pitchers have now gone 22 straight starts allowing three earned runs or fewer. Over that time, the rotation owns a 10-3 record and a 2.20 ERA.

San Diego (20-30) got a strong effort from rookie Eric Lauer, who allowed one run in six innings, and a solo home run from Franchy Cordero. Lauer, who got ahead of 15 of the 25 batters he faced -- allowed six hits, struck out seven and walked two.

"I thought hands down his best outing," manager Andy Green told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "Really encouraged. He did absolutely everything he could to help us win a baseball game."

Tyson Ross (3-3, 3.35) will try to help San Diego avert the sweep.

Washington, which needs a pitcher following Saturday's doubleheader against the Los Angeles Dodgers, hasn't named a starter though top pitching prospect, right-hander Erick Fedde would be on schedule if he is promoted from Triple-A Syracuse.

Fedde was 0-1 with a 9.39 ERA in three starts for Washington in 2017, none against the Padres.

Ross gave up five runs on six hits over six innings in a loss to the Nationals on May 8.

Since that time, Ross has allowed three runs over 12 innings in two starts. Against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday he grinded out a win after giving up two runs on five hits and four walks over six innings.

"It wasn't his best night," Green told MLB.com. "But it was good enough."

Ross is 2-2 with a 5.34 ERA in seven games (four starts) versus Washington.

Matt Adams is 5-for-9 against Ross and Anthony Rendon is 4-for-11 with a homer and four RBIs.